Device for automatically casting of molten material

ABSTRACT

A device for automatically casting molten material, wherein this material is supplied to one mold after another of a series of molds, each of which is slidably guided along guideways of a transport mechanism in a closed path of travel. This path of travel passes a pouring station in which each mold is filled, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the next following pouring operation. The guideways are constituted by straight rails along which pallets are guided, each of which comprises a plate having an arm protruding from said plate and carrying the mold. During the path of forward travel of a closed path of travel the plates are guided by the rails in vertical position, whereas during the backward path of travel these plates are guided by the rails in horizontal position.

Noisser et a1.

[ DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CASTING OF MOLTEN MATERIAL [76] Inventors: Alois Noisser, Bergfeld 2, A-2362 Biedermannsdorf; Gerhard Nowak, Hauffgasse 8, A-l 110 Vienna, both of Austria [22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 347,827

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 7, 1972 Austria 3040/72 [52] US. Cl. 164/329 [51] Int. Cl. B22D 5/04 [58} Field of Search 164/324, 325, 329, 331, 164/322, 327, 328, 323, 330, 326, 150, 158, 130, 137, 205

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 563,206 6/1896 McGrath 164/327 1,495,728 5/1924 Dostal 164/158 X 1,925,496 9/1933 Nieho1s..... 164/327 2,278,815 4/1942 Winkel 164/130 X 2,535,335 12/1950 Thevenin 164/326 X 1 Sept. 30, 1975 2,843,895 7/1958 Hallsworth 164/327 2,956,316 10/1960 Deakins..... 3,595,303 7/1971 Ponting 164/326 [5 7 ABSTRACT A device for automatically casting molten material, wherein this material is supplied to one mold after an other of a series of molds, each of which is slidably guided along guide ways of a transport mechanism in a closed path of travel. This path of travel passes a pouring station in which each mold is filled, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the next following pouring operation. The guideways are constituted by straight rails along which pallets are guided, each of which comprises a plate having an arm protruding from said plate and carrying the mold. During the path of forward travel of a closed path of travel the plates are guided by the rails in vertical position, whereas during the backward path of travel these plates are guided by the rails in horizontal position.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,748

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet2of2 3,908,748

FIG.4

A DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CASTING OF MOLTEN MATERIAL I The invention refers to a device for automatically casting molten material, preferably metal melts, in

which the molten material is supplied in successive steps to at least two molds each of which is slidingly guided on a transport mechanism along guideways, preferably rails, in a closed path of travel, along which is provided a pouring station, in which each mold is filled with molten material, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the pouring operation following next and, if desired, provided with cores, said guideways running along the individual stations.

ln known device for automatically casting of molten material (US. Pat No. l 752 308.) the molds are arranged ona rotable ring and the individual operating stations are arranged along the circumference of said ring. A disadvantage of such a known construction is its great space requirement, particularly of devices provided with many operating stations. Furthermore, complicated constructional means are necessary for supporting and driving the rotatable ring. The number of operating stations is dependent on the diameter of the ring, so that such a known device cannot be enlarged when it is desired to incorporate additional operating stations. Further disadvantages of this known device result from the reduced accessability of the inner area of the ring where the stationary parts of the individual operating stations are arranged and from the difficulties encountered when interchanging molds, because the molds are connected to the ring by screws and have to be removed from the ring in a laboursome manner. Finally, a further disadvantage of this known construction results from the whole transport mechanism for the molds becoming damaged and inoperable on occasion of rupture at the pouring station and, respectively, leakage of a mold because the molten material then will block the drive means and guideways for the ring which are at least partially arranged below said molds.

In a further known embodiment of a device'as mentioned above (German Pat. No. l 173 215) the molds are arranged on an endless chain which is passed over two guide pulleys and is driven in a continuous manner. The pig molds are directly fixed to the chain links so that in case of failure of a pig mold the whole device must be stopped for replacing the pig mold. Also this known embodiment suffers from the disadvantage that on occasion ofa rupture at the pouring station and, respectively, of a leakage of a pig mold the whole transport mechanism for the molds may become inoperable. The rigid connection of the pig molds to the moving chain further results in the disadvantage that the transport velocity is the same for all pig molds in each stage of the transport cycle so that under circumstances many molds have to be connected to the chain for making the process economic. Furthermore thee pig molds fixed to the chain in the manner indicated can only be filled from top so that such a known device is not suitable for bottom-pouring.

The invention now aims at avoiding these drawbacks and to improve a device of the kind described above such that with only low space requirement and highopcrating reliability the molds-can be more rapidly and more reliably transported and can also easilytbe interchanged and can further be used for top-pouring or top-casting as well as for bottom-pouring or ris'ecasting. According to the invention, in a device of the kind described the mentioned object is achieved in that each mold is carried by means of at least one arm by a pallet means, said armprotruding from the pallet means, and that all pallet means are of equal shape and form interchangeable units which are guided by the guideways at least in the area of the pouring station in a position in which the arm protrudes from the guideways, and that each of the pallet means is removable from the guideways at at least one point of said closed path of travel. In this manner, a device is provided which has an only low space requirement and which can be expanded in a simple manner, for example by lengthening the guideways formed of straight rails. In a device accordingto the invention the individual operating stations may be arranged at will. It is, however, most favourable to arrange the operating stations in a row for saving space. In view of each mold being carried by a pallet means and all pallet means being of mutually equal shape, any interchange of molds can be effected in a simple manner even when the molds for producing castings of different sizes are used. It is possible to replace pallet means together with the molds without stopping operation of the device so that production of castings is always continuous. Furthermore the device is better shielded against the heat radiation particularly coming from the pouring or casting station because each pallet means will shield constructional parts of the device located behind this pallet means against heat radiation of the casting nozzle andof the mold, respectively. In view of the molds being carried by arms protruding from the pallet means, the molds are kept a certain distance from the transport mechanism so that this transport mechanism is not subjected to excessive heat stress. It is possible to move the molds in a position above the pouring nozzle laterally from the side, so

that, particularly for risecasting, the casting equipment may be of simpler construction. This is of importance for casting equipments provided with an equalizing chamber for the molten material, which equalizing chamber is atleast partially arranged within a storage chamber and there circumcirculatedby the molten material, because in such devices (as for instance disclosed in Austrian Patent Speficication Nos. 285 840 and German printed patent application No. 2 142 717) the molten material is always maintained in a liquid condition within the opening of the casting nozzle. By arranging the mold on the arm carried by the pallet means, the movable parts and the structure of the transport mechanism may be arranged in a required distance from the casting equipment. This is favourable also for the case that the casting equipment will rupture or become untight, because any damage of the transport mechanism is the less probable the more the pouring nozzle is located distant therefrom.

According to a further feature of the invention each plate-like pallet means is provided with rollers running on the guideways, said rollers being preferably provided at two opposed edges of the plate. In this case, the frictional forces exerted when moving the pallet means within the guideways are very low so that the power required for slidingly moving the pallet means within the guideways is very low too. If necessary, the pallet means may be even manually moved. However, preferably a stepwisely acting drive means for shifting the row of plates is provided at the end of the row of plates.

According to the invention, the guideways for the path of backward travel of the pallet means are exclusively formed of straight rails arranged above the guideways for the path of forward travel of the pallet means, the rails for the latter guideways being exclusively straight rails, noting that a lifting device is provided at the end of the path of forward travel for transmitting the pallet means from the path of forward travel to the path of backward travel and that a lowering device is provided at the end of the path of backward travel for transmitting the pallet means from the path of backward travel to the path of forward travel. Such a construction is space saving and is suitable to work without any guide pulleys in the path of travel of the pallet means. Furthermore the drive means provided for the path of forward travel and for the path of backward travel are easily accessiblepThe lifting device and the lowering device for the pallet means may, according to the invention, be formed of guideway sections arranged on a turnstile so that always a guideway section is ready for accommodating the next pallet means. Further, it is of advantage to provide a mold exchange station at the end of the path of forward travel and there to use an additional turnstile being provided with guideways for accommodating a new pallet means as well as a pallet means to be replaced. In this manner it is easily possible to change over to another type of mold without disturbing the working cycle of a device according to the invention.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention, the guideways for the path of backward travel of the pallet means are ar ranged for guiding these pallet means with the plane of the plate being in a horizontal position, whereas the guideways for the whole path of forward travel of the pallet means are guiding them with the plane of the plate being in a vertical position. In this manner, it is possible by simply tilting the pallet means, for example, by means of turnstiles, to bring the pallet means from the position taken during forward travel into the position taken during backward travel. This further provides the possibility to arrange working stations along the path of backward travel of the pallet means which are arranged to follow the mold for a portion of its path of travel and to act from above on the pallet means and, respectively, on the molds fixed thereto.

At the area of the pouring station sections of the guideways for the pallet means may be arranged for a descending movement, and a drive means, for example, a hydraulic unit, may be provided for lowering the guideway section. Thus, any abrasive action of the mold is avoided at the individual stations, particularly on the front face of the casting nozzle, so that any injury of the nozzle can be avoided. Furthermore it is possible to rest the mold with such a pressure onto the nozzle that a reliable seal between mold and nozzle is achieved. Lifting of the mold off the pouring nozzle is conveniently effected in a vertical direction so that any liquid material flowing out of the mold will flow into the pouring nozzle and any contamination of the surroundings of the pouring nozzle by molten material falling down can be avoided.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of a device according to the invention schematically shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 represents a device according to the invention in a side elevation and FIG. 2 represents a top plan view of a device according to FIG. 1. FIG. 3 represents a section along line IIIIII of FIG. I and FIG. 4 represents a section along line IVIV of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of an embodiment of the adjusting device for moving the mold parts.

In a device according to the invention for automatically casting of molten materials, a plurality of stations are arranged along the transport path of a transport mechanism I and adapted for handling there the individual molds 2, for example, sand molds or permanent molds, according to the requirements existing there. In the embodiment shown, there is provided a core inserting station E where the cores are put into the mold, a casting station G where the molten material is poured into the mold and a discharge station A where the casting produced is discharged from the mold. These stations E, G and A are arranged one behind the other along a straight line and the molds 2 are, one after the other, passed past these stations. The transport mechanism 1 comprises a support 3 provided with two frames at its front ends, each of said frames being formed of two vertical posts and a horizontal beam. Said both frames 4 are connected with one another by pairs 5, 6 of rails, said pairs of rails acting as guideways for the molds 2. The rails of the rail pair 5 are arranged one above the other at the front side of the transport mechanism 1 while the rails of the rail pair 6 are arranged side by side on the upper side of the transport mechanism 1. Furthermore, stiffening elements may be provided for the support 3. The pair 5 of rails is acting as a guideway for the transport mechanism during its forward movement while the pair 6 of rails is acting as a guideway for the transport mechanism during its return movement. Within these guideways pallet means constituted by flat plates or shelves 7 (FIG. 5) are guided, each of which being assigned to one mold carried by it. All pallet means 7 are of equal configuration, however, the molds 2 may be mutually different. When using different molds it has only to be considered that the casting temperature and the ferrostatic level within the casting equipment 8 (FIG. 3) cannot be altered from one casting operation to the next one and thus have to be the same for all molds 2 of a casting series. Further the time interval for moving the individual molds 2 past the casting equipment 8 has to be maintained constant, so that the solidification periods for the single casting are similar as well as the cooling periods for the molds for these castings, etc.

For moving the pallet means along the path of the transport mechanism 1 this transport mechanism is provided with drive means which may be of any known construction, as, for example, chain conveyors, individual drive means for the pallet means and transporting same only from one station to the other. pushing rod drive means and so on. It is particularly favourable to provide a hydraulic control unit 9 at the feed side of the transport mechanism 1, said hydraulic control unit stepwisely shifting the pallet means 7 in direction of arrow 10 (FIG. 1) past the stations, E, G, A. For this purpose, each pallet 7 is provided conveniently at its rear side with a nose clutch 11 adapted for being engaged by the piston rod of the hydraulic control unit 9 and being formed by a latch pivotable around an axis 11a, said latch engaging a stop pin llb stationarily arranged on the pallet7 when same is moved in forward direction. 7

Along the backward path of the transport mechanism the pallet means are conveniently moved by a chain conveyor 12, the chain of which is guidingly passed over sprocket wheels 13, 14 and which chain moves the pallet means 7 in direction of arrrow 15 with an increased velocity as compared to the transport velocity during transport in forward direction. The pallet means 7 are moved back on top of the transport mechanism 1. For this purpose, the chain conveyor 12 is driven via a change gear with the desired velocity by means of a motor 14a fixedly connected to one of the frames 4. The increased velocity of backward motion as compared to the velocity of the forward motion is favourable inasfar as otherwise the number of pallet means 7 required would be unnecessarily great.

For passing the pallet means from the path of forward motion to the path of backward motion and, respec tively, from the path of backward motion to the path of forward motion of the transport mechanism 1, lifting and lowering devices 16 and, respectively, 17 are provided for the pallet means 7. Each of said lifting and,

respectively, lowering devices 16, 17 has a turnstile 19 (FIG. 4) being provided at the ends of its arms with guiding portions 20 corresponding to rails 5 and 6, re-

spectively, as to its configuration and arrangement.

Thus, always a guiding portion is ready for receiving the next pallet means 7 when being moved in forward direction. Each of said turnstiles 19 is driven by means of a motor 21 via a gear 22 and a worm 23 for stepwise rotation, i. e. in direction of arrow 24 (FIG. 4) for the lifting device 16 and in reverse direction for the lowering device 17. Worm 23 is cooperating with a worm wheel 25, the shaft 18 of which carries the arms of turnstile l9. Shaft 18 is supported within a bearing block.

Consequently one cycle of one single pallet 7 is as follows. At the start of one cycle the pallet 7 is, as is shown at the right hand side in FIG. 1, in upwardly swivelled position. After having pushed by means of the hydraulic control unit 9 the pallet 7 guided within the rail pairs 5 arranged in a vertical plane, the turnstile 19 of the lowering device 17 is rotated such that the pallet means just having been received by the lowering device '17is brought into a position in which this pallet means is in alignment with the pallet means guided within the rails of rail pair 5. Blackwashing of the mold 2, particularly a permanent mold, (i. e. spraying the interior of this mold or, respectively, permanent mold with a graphite suspension for preventing adhesion of the casting on the walls of the mold parts) may already be done in upwardly swivelled position of the pallet means 7 but may be done only in lowered position of the pallet means. After the first transport step in forward direction, the core or the cores are inserted into the mold 2 and subsequently the mold is closed. Up to this moment the junction plane of the mold parts 27, 28 of the mold 2 was located in a horizontal plane for facilitating inser tion of the core into the mold. During the following transport step in forward direction the pallet means 7 is tilted for an angle of 90, so that the junction plane of the mold parts 27, 28 is now in a vertical plane. In this position of the pallet means and of the mold, pouring of melt is effected in a casting station G subsequently to the transport step following next in forward direction. a

After terminating pouring of the melt into the mold, the corresponding pallet means 7 is stepwisely shifted in forward direction into a cooling station W in which the casting is allowed to cool. Said cooling station W is, in the embodiment shown, located in front of the discharge station A. Discharging of the finished castings can, however, be'done in the station W, particularly when manufacturing small castings. In the discharge station A the mold halves of mold 2 are disassembled. The discharge station A is followed by a rinsing station 3 where a cooling liquid, preferably water, is sprayed under high pressure via nozzles onto the disassembled mold halves 27, 28 for intensely cooling same. For this purpose, a spray nozzle 30 for cooling liquid is provided at station S and arranged for being lifted and lowered by means of hydraulic unit 29 such that said nozzle 30 is lifted into the space between both mold halves 27, 28 carried by the pallet means 7 just having entered station S. Control-means known per se may be provided for allowing supply of cooling liquid only when nozzle 30 is located between the mold halves 27, 28. For preventing the cooling liquid from wetting adjacent constructional parts, a guard plate 31 is provided for being lifted and lowered by means of a hydraulic unit 32. After the pallet means 7 has entered the station S and prior to activating supply of cooling liquid to nozzle 30, the guard plate 31 is lowered. After terminating supply of cooling liquid, said guard plate 31 is again lifted. Subsequently the mold halves 27, 28 are again swivelled for an angle of so that these mold halves are arranged'one above the other (this position is shown in FIG. 1 by dashed lines). During the following transport step, the pallet means 7 is shifted into the lifting device 16 formed of the turnstile 19 so that the pallet means is lifted to the upper pair 6 of rails.

The chain of the chain conveyor 12 runs over sprocket wheels 13, 14 and is provided with fingers 33 constituted by protruding portions of some bolts of the chain, said protruding portions engaging a dog 33a provided on each pallet means 7 and thus moving the pallet means 7 in direction of arrow 15. The dogs 33a are formed, similar to nose clutches 11, by swivable latches engaging a pin 33b carried by the pallet means 7. Thus the pallet means 7 is brought back into a position above the lowering device 17 arranged at the input end of the series of working stations. There the pallet means is shifted into the guides 20 of the turnstile 19 of the lowering device 17, whereupon the turnstile is rotated for an angle of 90 such that the pallet means is brought into a vertical plane coinciding with the vertical plane of the pair of rails vertically arranged one above the other. The cycle of movement is now terminated so that the pallet means can be shifted into the core setting station E during the following working stroke of the hydraulic control unit 9.

The mold 2 carried by its cooperating pallet means 7 may be conditioned also while being within the return path (movement in direction of arrow 15) of the transport mechanism 1. For this purpose, a car 34 is provided which will be coupled to pallet means 7 by means of an engaging piece and is moving with this pallet means along a predetermined portion of the path of travel. After having moved along this portion of path of travel, coupling between car 34 and pallet means 7 is automatically released, whereupon the car 34 is drawn back by means of a weight 35 into its starting position defined by an engaging piece 34a arranged on support 3. For this purpose, the weight 35 is connected to car 34 by means of a wire rope 37 running over a roller 36 bearingly supported on support 3. The car 34 may be provided with tools, for example, rotating brushes 38, which are rotated by means of a motor for additionally cleaning the mold 2. Furthermore, cooling nozzles may be provided on car 34 for additionally cooling the mold. In addition, car 34 may be provided with nozzles for applying a blackwash (graphite or the like) on the mold parts.

There is further provided a pallet means exchange station T following the lifting device 16 and serving for replacing a pallet means for another pallet means. For instance, such a replacement may become necessary if a mold has to be dressed or has to be more thoroughly cleaned as for example by a sand blast or if the device has to be changed over for producing other castings (molds of another type) or if constructional parts of the pallet means 7 have become mechanically damaged. For this purpose, the new pallet means 7' is maintained in vertical position within a pallet means car 40 provided with horizontally arranged guide means 41 into which the pallet means 7' may be introduced. At the pallet means exchange station T a further turnstile 42 is provided being of similar construction as the turnstile 19 (FIG. 4) of the lifting device 16 and, respectively, the lowering device 17 and being provided at the ends of its arms with guide means 43 corresponding in shape and arrangement to the guide means 5, 6 and, respectively, to the guide means 20, so that, on the one hand, the pallet means may easily be transmitted to the guide means. 20 of the lifting device and, respectively vice versa, and that on the other hand, the pallet means 7 may be easily transmitted from the pallet means car 40 into the guide rails 43 of the turnstile 42, and respectively vice versa. If an exchange ofa pallet means is intended, the new pallet means is brought to the pallet means exchange station T by means of pallet means car 40 and transmitted from guide means 41 into guide means 43. The turnstile 42 of the pallet means exchange station T is subsequently rotated such that pallet means 7 is brought within the pallet means exchange station T into a position as shown in dashed lines and as suitable for effecting exchange. By actuating a control switch (not shown), the lifting device 16 is brought out of operation so that the pallet means 7 may be shifted out of guide means 43 into guide means 20 of the turnstile of the lifting device 16. Simultaneously, the pallet meansjust coming in forward direction may be shifted into the vertically positioned guide means 20 ofa turnstile of the lifting device 16 and then be transmitted from these guide means into the guide means 43 of the turnstile provided at the pallet means exchange station T. The pallet means is then moved from guide means 43 into guide means 41 of pallet means car 40 by means of which the pallet means may be easily removed.

in FIG. 3 the casting equipment for effecting the pouring process is illustrated. This casting equipment 8 comprises a furnace 44, in its turn comprising a furnace chamber 45 for preparing the melt to be cast. A passage 46 is leading from this furnace chamber 45 to a storage chamber, 47 within which the melt is collected up to a predetermined level. The storage chamber 47 is followed by an equalizing chamber 48 within which the flow of melt can be allowed to stabilize such that the melt can flow in an essentially laminar stream in upward direction into the pouring nozzle 49 being directed in upward direction. At the area of transition between the storage chamber 47 and the equalizer chamber 48 a stopper valve 50 is provided and adapted to be controlled by means of a hydraulic unit 51. A further hydraulic unit 52 is provided for controlling a further stopper valve 53 arranged at the area of transition be tween the furnace chamber 45 and passage 46 so that the level of melt within the storage chamber 47 may be kept at a predetermined level by opening and closing said valve, said level defining the pressure acting on the melt.

At the area of the pouring station G the pallet means 7 may be lowered together with the rails provided for guiding said pallet means. For this purpose, at the pouring station G the rails 5 are formed of an elongated piece of rails 5' being separated from the remaining portions of the rails 5. The elongated pieces of rails 5' are arranged one above the other and fixed to a frame 54 which in its turn is fixed to the piston rod 55 of a hydraulic unit 56 and can be lifted and, respectively, lowered by correspondingly actuating said piston rod. Thus it is possible to adjust the mold 2 laterally in distance from the top edge 57 of the pouring nozzle in direction to the pouring nozzle 49. Only after having brought mold 2 in a position directly above the pouring nozzle 49, the frame 54 is lowered by correspondingly actuating the hydraulic unit 56 so that the mold 2 will come into engagement with the pouring nozzle 49.

After having filled the mold 2, this mold is lifted in vertical direction by correspondingly actuating the hydraulic unit 56. Any melt dropping off mold 2 returns into the opening of the pouring nozzle, so that contamination of the area surrounding the pouring nozzle is avoided to a great extent. The next transport step in forward direction will be initiated by actuating the hydraulic control unit 9, but only after return of pallet means 7 to the level of the remaining pallet means just being in the area of forward travel of the transport mechanism 1.

For effecting the pouring operation, the flow of melt is started by opening stopper valve 50 in consequence to a corresponding actuation of the hydraulic unit 51, so that melt can flow under the influence of its own weight from storage chamber 47 into equalizing chamber 48 and subsequently from this equalizing chamber, via the pouring nozzle 49, into mold 2.

Laterally moving the mold 2 and thereby maintaining a distance between this mold and the top edge 57 of pouring nozzle 49 provides the advantage of avoiding any abrasive action between mold 2 and the front face of the pouring nozzle. With this arrangement shown, it is further possible to press the mold with such a pressure onto the pouring nozzle that a reliable seal between mold and pouring nozzle is effected.

As a matter of course, locking devices for the pallet means 7 may be provided at any desired working station for maintaining each pallet means in an exactly determined position at the corresponding station and thus for providing the possibility to exactly perform the operations to which the mold is to be subjected.

in FIG. 5 a pallet means 7 is illustrated for being guided within the pairs 5, 6 of rails. This pallet means 7 comprises a plate-like base member 58 having a circular central opening 59 and having a U-shaped cross section. At the corners of the square or rectangular base member 58, pairs of protrusions 60 are provided within whichrollers 61 are bearin'gly supported for guiding the palletmeians 7 within the pairs 5,6 of rails. Thus the power requirement of the hydraulic'cont'rol unit 9 for shifting the whole stack of pallet 'means can be kept low. I

Within central opening 59 a rotary plate 62 is rotably supported, said rotary plate 62 carrying a beam-like protrusion 63 in its turn provided with longitudinal extending grooves 64. Two slides 65, 66 are slidingly guided within said groove 64 and the mold halves 27 and, respectively, 28 of the mold 2 being connected to these slides by means of arms 67, 68. This allows for moving both mold halves in direction to one another and, respectively, in direction away from one another and thus for opening and, respectively, closing the mold 2. By rotating the rotary plate 62 it is possible to bring the junction plane of the mold parts 27, 28 from a horizontal position into a vertical position, and vice versa.

It is no indispensible requirement that each pallet means 7 bear only one signle mold with one single entrance opening for the melt. It may be of advantage, particularly when producing for instance castings of substantial dimensions as heat radiators for central heating plants and so on, to use a mold with two entrance openings for melt and to provide two pouring nozzles in the pouring equipment for simultaneously cooperating with these entrance openings.

When producing comparatively small castings it is further possible to mount on each pallet means 7 two molds completely separated one from the other, noting that for each of these molds the above mentioned control units for effecting opening movement and, respectively, closing movement of the mold parts and for pivoting the molds may be used.

The mold used need not be bipartite but may be composed of more than two parts. In this case it is possible to either move two mold parts in direction to one another and, respectively, away from one another in the manner described and to fixedly arrange the remaining mold parts on the pallet means 7 and, respectively on the rotary plate 62 or to provide for each of the mold parts an adjustment device such that all of the mold parts may be moved in direction to a common centre and, respectively, away from this centre. Which of the possibilities mentioned is the more advantageous is dependent on the type of casting to be produced.

By the word pallet means an interchangeable support member or carrier member is understood, which carries the load (the mold) which can be secured to the carrier or support member in any desired mammer.

The device according to the invention is suitable not only for casting metal melts, for example, iron, steel, aluminum or brass, but also for casting synthetic plastic material.

We claim:

1. A device for automatically casting of molten material, comprising at least two carrier means, each of which carries at least one permanent mold, each mold having at least two mold parts, and a transport mechanism having guideways, wherein the molten material is supplied in successive steps to said molds, each of which carrier means is slidably guided along said guideways of said transport mechanism in a closed path of travel, a pouring station for filling each mold with molten material, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the pouring 10 operation following next, said'pouring and further stations being arranged along said path of travel, said guideways passing said pouring and further stations, and compriseitwo sections arranged one above'the othergsaid pouring station: being passed by the lower one of said guideway' sections, and further comprise a lifting device, provided at the one end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from said lower guideway section to the upper one of said guideway sections and a lowering device provided at the other end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from the upper one to the lower section, said carrier means having at least one arm for carrying said mold parts movable with respect to each other for opening and closing of said mold, said arm protruding from the carrier means, all carrier means forming interchangeable units, and further comprising means for removing any of said carrier means together with its mold parts from said guideways at at least one point of said closed path of travel.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said guideway sections is essentially constituted of straight rails.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carrier means has a plate-like configuration and is provided with rollers running on said guideways, said upper guideway sections are arranged for guiding each of said carrier means in horizontal position of the plane of its plate, whereas said lower guideway sections are arranged for guiding each carrier means in vertical position of the plane of its plate.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stepwise actuating drive means is provided for shifting said carrier means along said lower guideway sections, and wherein a continuously acting driving means is provided for moving said carrier means along said upper guideway sections, said carrier means being moved along said upper guideway sections with a greater transport velocity than along said lower guideway sections.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lifting device and said lowering device for said carrier means each comprises guideway sections arranged on a turnstile.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a mold exchange station is provided at the end of said lower guideway sections, said mold exchange station comprises an additional turnstile having guideways for accomodating a new carrier means as well as the carrier means to be replaced.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a drive means is provided at said pouring station for lowering said guideways for said carrier means.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said drive means is a hydraulic unit.

9. A device for automatically casting of molten material, comprising at least two carrier means, each of which carries at least one permanent mold, each mold having at least two mold parts, and a transport mechanism having guideways, wherein the molten material is supplied in successive steps to said molds, each of which carrier means is slidably guided along said guideways of said transport mechanism in a closed path of travel, a pouring station for filling each mold with molten material, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the pouring operation following next, said pouring and further station, said carrier means having at least one arm for carrying said mold parts, said arm protruding from the carrier means, all carrier means forming interchangeable units, and further comprising at least one further station having further guideways for removing from the reinserting to said closed path of travel any of said carrier means together with its mold parts, said further guideways being connectable to said guideway sections and forming elongations therefrom. 

1. A device for automatically casting of molten material, comprising at least two carrier means, each of which carries at least one permanent mold, each mold having at least two mold parts, and a transport mechanism having guideways, wherein the molten material is supplied in successive steps to said molds, each of which carrier means is slidably guided along said guideways of said transport mechanism in a closed path of travel, a pouring station for filling each mold with molten material, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the pouring operation following next, said pouring and further stations being arranged along said path of travel, said guideways passing said pouring and further stations, and comprise two sections arranged one above the other, said pouring station being passed by the lower one of said guideway sections, and further comprise a lifting device, provided at the one end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from said lower guideway section to the upper one of said guideway sections and a lowering device provided at the other end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from the upper one to the lower section, said carrier means having at least one arm for carrying said mold parts movable with respect to each other for opening and closing of said mold, said arm protruding from the carrier means, all carrier means forming interchangeable units, and further comprising means for removing any of said carrier means together with its mold parts from said guideways at at least one point of said closed path of travel.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said guideway sections is essentially constituted of straight rails.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each carrier means has a plate-like configuration and is provided with rollers running on said guideways, said upper guideway sections are arranged for guiding each of said carrier means in horizontal position of the plane of its plate, whereas said lower guideway sections are arranged for guiding each carrier means in vertical position of the plane of its plate.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a stepwise actuating drive means is provided for shifting said carrier means along said lower guideway sections, and wherein a continuously acting driving means is provided for moving said carrier means along said upper guideway sections, said carrier means being moved along said upper guideway sections with a greater transport velocity than along said lower guideway sections.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lifting device and said lowering device for said carrier means each comprises guideway sections arranged on a turnstile.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a mold exchange station is provided at the end of said lower guideway sections, said mold exchange station comprises an additional turnstile having guideways for accomodating a new carrier means as well as the carrier means to be replaced.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a drive means is provided at said pouring station for lowering said guideways for said carrier means.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said drive means is a hydraulic unit.
 9. A device for automatically casting of molten material, comprising at least two carrier means, each of which carries at least one permanent mold, each mold having at least two mold parts, and a transport mechanism having guideways, wherein the molten material is supplied in successive steps to said molds, each of which carrier means is slidably guided along said guideways of said transport mechanism in a closed path of travel, a pouring station for filling each mold with molten material, and at least one further station, at which the mold is discharged and prepared for the pouring operation following next, said pouring and further stations being arranged along said path of travel, said guideways passing said pouring and further stations, and comprise two sections arranged one above the other, said pouring station being passed by the lower one of said guideway sections, and further comprise a lifting device, provided at the end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from said lower guideway section to the upper one of said guideway sections and a lowering device provided at the other end of said guideway sections for transmitting said carrier means from the upperone to the lower section, said carrier means having at least one arm for carrying said mold parts, said arm protruding from the carrier means, all carrier means forming interchangeable units, and further comprising at least one further station having further guideways for removing from the reinserting to said closed path of travel any of said carrier means together with its mold parts, said further guideways being connectable to said guideway sections and forming elongations therefrom. 